A Texas man has filed a lawsuit against his ex-wife’s three friends, accusing them of helping her obtain abortion pills and conspiring to conceal their actions. The lawsuit, which seeks $1 million in damages, argues that self-managed abortion is equivalent to murder under Texas law.
According to reports, Marcus Silva alleges that his ex-wife’s friends convinced her to take the pills and then helped her conceal the abortion from him. The lawsuit also claims that the women’s actions violated a Texas law that requires women seeking abortions to undergo an ultrasound and receive counseling.
Silva’s lawsuit comes just days after five women sued the state of Texas for denying them abortions despite the risk to their lives. The lawsuit appears to be the first of its kind in Texas, where a new law effectively bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy and allows individuals to sue anyone who assists a woman in obtaining an abortion.
The text messages submitted as evidence in the lawsuit reveal that Silva’s ex-wife was scared he would use the abortion against her to keep her in the relationship. The lawsuit alleges that the three women “conspired together to commit the murder of an unborn child” and accuses them of “intentional infliction of emotional distress.”
The case has sparked outrage among reproductive rights advocates, who argue that the lawsuit is an attempt to intimidate women and prevent them from exercising their right to choose. They argue that the lawsuit is a clear example of the dangers of allowing individuals to sue others over abortion and say that it could set a dangerous precedent.
The lawsuit comes as the Supreme Court is set to hear a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. The case has raised concerns among reproductive rights advocates, who fear that the court could significantly restrict access to abortion and allow states to ban the procedure entirely.
As the debate over abortion rights continues to rage, advocates on both sides are closely watching the outcome of this case and others like it, as they could have significant implications for the future of reproductive rights in the United States.